World Vision Ireland welcomes increased funding in Budget 2024

World Vision Ireland greatly welcomes the increase in Budget 2024 for Official Development Assistance (ODA). This increase will continue to allow NGOs like World Vision Ireland to address the increasing humanitarian needs around the world, where a record 240 million people in 69 countries need urgent humanitarian assistance, the majority of whom are women and children.  

However, while welcome, this increase is far from what is required to meet our 0.7% commitment and, in order to get back on track with our pledge to provide 0.7% of GNI on ODA, the Irish Government will need to significantly increase this figure in the coming years. 

In response to the budget announcement, World Vision Ireland CEO, Gillian Barnett said, “We are facing a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, the impact of which is being felt most profoundly by children. The climate crisis is compounding all of the challenges we are facing. We work with the most vulnerable children in climate impacted countries, such as in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and they need this support now more than ever. For them, climate change is not a distant risk, but it poses an existential threat to them, their families and communities.”  

“I welcome this increase and the Irish Government’s continued support and leadership. This money will continue to provide long-term sustainable development and live-saving assistance, as well as bolstering the work of humanitarian and development organisations such as ours”.   

World Vision Ireland is very encouraged by Irish Aid and the Irish Government’s focus on long-term, flexible and adaptive funding for programmes. We will continue to strive to help the world’s most vulnerable children, families and communities to overcome poverty and to improve livelihoods. Our mission is to have children as agents of change and empower them to achieve full and healthy lives.